The Opelousas courier., 1887-03-05

N. 0. Times Democrat.

| The arrival in this country of the March
number of Macmillans Magazine, containing
as it does an article by Lord Wolseley on
Gen. Lee, will be awaited with interest, es~
pecially by the people of the South. In the
meantime we are indebted to the London
correspondent of the New York Tribune for
summary of the article, together with com,
ments of his own thereon. When it is stated
that Lord Woseley calls Gen. Lee the
greatest soldier of his age, and the most per-
feet man he tWolseleyl ever met" and that
unpreiudiced outsider will generally admit
the sovereign right, both historical and legal
| of each State under the Constitution to leave
the Union when its people thought fit, it is
not necessary to add that the criticisms of the
Tribune correspondent are the reverse OF
iaudatory. 1t is certain, however, that most
Europeans hold the same opinion as Lord
| Wolseley and although the Tribune CORES:
pondeut speaks of such views as stale and
long discredited in London society" it is just
possible that he may know less about London
society than he would have us believe;
In any case, it is tolerably certain that the
Adiutant- General, and real Commander-in-
Chief, of the British army is competent
military critic and there is no reason why
he should be prejudiced in favor OF the South.
He witnessed a part of the war, and is able
the struggle of small population, with no
help from outside, against rich country
with all Europe for its recruiting ground.
He does justice to the determination and per-
| sistence of the Northern troops; but he can
not find language strong enough to praise
"the chiyalrous valor of the gallant men
whom Gen. Lee led to victory"
After this it is absurd to lnsinuate, as the
correspondent does that Lord Wolseiey has
ga low opinion of the military quality Of
both armies. IT he says that the oopera-
tion of single army corps of regular troops
lou niofa tn FrI,I Oh.
ever side it fought on" he can only refer to
the earlier battles OF the war; before either
army had learned the value of discipline and
cohesion and, in view of the events at Ma
Dassas and Shiloh, there are many who will
agree with him.
"Antietam," says the correspondent, sis
described as rebel victory Gettysburg as
drawn battle, and Gen. Sherman,s march as
splendid but almost unopposed." Though the
correspondent omits saying so, the last state
ment refers of course to the march from At
lanta to the sea; aud with this proviso, Lord
Wolseley's Judgment may be accepted as his
torically accurate.
Lord Wolseiey has made the personal ac-
quaintance of most Of the great men OF bis
time. But "Gen. Lee alone impressed him
as man cast iu different mould, and made
of different and fuer metal than other men, a
being apart and superior to all others in
every way" He was. as Lord Woiseley
states, g the great American of the nineteenth
century, who lowered above all other men on
either side in that struggle"
The Tribune correspondent INDUCES in
sneer at which he calls the British Generals
peculiar English. Judging, however, from
the extracts given, and from some familiarity
with Lord Wolseley's other writings, we are
in position to state that his English, if not
especially literary, is always grammatical and
vigorous. AS regards the present article, we
are prepared to believe that while it will not
compare for music of language and nice bal
ance of sentences with MIR. Matthew Arnold's
recent article on Gen. Grant, it is of greater
value as an expression Of opinion. Mr.. Ar
mold no doubt knows more than Lord Wolse-
ley on many subjects But in judging men
of action, the soicetof a man of action must
have more weight than that of man of
words.